GPS in dynamic monitoring of long-period structures

✍ Scribed by M. Çelebi

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 760 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0267-7261
• DOI: 10.1016/s0267-7261(00)00094-4

✦ Synopsis

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology with high sampling rates (,10 samples per second) allows scienti®cally justi®ed and economically feasible dynamic measurements of relative displacements of long-period structuresÐotherwise dif®cult to measure directly by other means, such as the most commonly used accelerometers that require post-processing including double integration. We describe an experiment whereby the displacement responses of a simulated tall building are measured clearly and accurately in real-time. Such measurements can be used to assess average drift ratios and changes in dynamic characteristics, and therefore can be used by engineers and building owners or managers to assess the building performance during extreme motions caused by earthquakes and strong winds. By establishing threshold displacements or drift ratios and identifying changing dynamic characteristics, procedures can be developed to use such information to secure public safety and/or take steps to improve the performance of the building.